Bittersweet - Revelation 10:1-11

Perhaps where you are living right now without an answer without an explanation. There is some present dilemma in your personal experience that remains an unanswered dilemma saying God's. It is the kind of believe that will prove your faith and deepen your trust in him like nothing else.

You may have to exercise it today or tomorrow. I don't know know God is doing by faith we have confidence because we know God loves us and wants what's best for us.

When the apostle John received the revelation of what was to come. There were things that God told him not to write down they want to be revealed in advance will know it when it happens today we return to the book of Revelation, and even though God may not tell us all that we wish you would. We can study and understand what he has revealed will do that right now Stephen Devi takes us to Revelation 10 in a lesson called bittersweet by the time you arrive in Revelation chapter 10, you need to understand that time is running out for people of the earth by the end of the first six trumpet judgments half the population on the planet has fallen to the plagues of God before that seventh trumpet sounded. There is a pause in the action much like there was a pause after the sixth seal before you got to the seven now after the six trumpet before you get to the seventh trumpet there is again an interlude in chapter 10 of Revelation is that interlude it's a pause in the action. So let's pick it up at John's opening words in Revelation chapter 10 verse one just the opening part where he introduces with these words. I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven closed with the cloud and the rainbow was upon his head, his face like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. Now you recognize if you been studying with us by now that angels play a prominent role in the Apocalypse that is the judgment of God. There involved in serving a worshiping singing and praising God delivering messages of doom and announcements of Revelation and and even more factors even one angel that's going to have the special privilege of throwing Satan into the abyss where he will stay for a thousand years, while Christ literally rains upon the throne of David on earth would you get the sense as you study the revelation thus far that angels have been waiting with anticipation. There there there just sort of anxious to get this thing going there there longing, I believe effectively for the final consummation of their glorious God as he delivers final and full judgment upon the planet to those who scorned their creator and certainly the judgment upon their brother angels who fallen were now called demons who betrayed God battled God's will battle God's people who battled God's plan now for thousands of years and now John introduces us to yet another angel. This money simply calls a strong angel comes with a rather special mission.

There are those that would believe that this particular angel is Jesus Christ.

I don't certainly in the Old Testament Christ often appeared as the angel of the Lord, what theologians call a Chris Stephanie. That is an appearance of Christ.

Prior to his incarnation, and those are wonderful's text to study in light of the fact that it was the pre-incarnate Christ, would you add to the fact that never in the record of the New Testament after his incarnation does Christ ever appear as an angel again is taken on flesh. The flesh of man. And then of course you added that truth. The fact that the Lord is never referred to an angel in the book of Revelation effect is never referred to an angel in all of the New Testament, and furthermore you'll notice soon that John will not worship this angel.

The primary reason I don't believe this is Christ is the original language itself.

John writes clearly translated into English.

I saw another angel, another of the same kind is what he saying in other words, this angel is the same essence as the other archangels have already appeared sound their trumpets. In fact, this angel's appearance will match closely.

Daniels, a description of Gabriel in Daniel chapter 12 so more than likely this is another Archangel who now joins this scene with these other seven archangels who are sounding these seven trumpets, I want you to notice six rather amazing features of this angel. He writes look again in verse one, that this angel was clothed with a cloud clouds are often the vehicles in the Bible which heavenly beings ascend or descend.

However, here the cloud seems to be is closing more than likely than covering much of his his body. Secondly, John writes the rainbow was upon his head.

The word for rainbow is the word Iris we use that today at ophthalmology refers to a circle of of color. The Greeks use this very word to refer to the brilliant colors surrounding the circles of the peacocks colorful feathered tail. Perhaps you seen those circles and the bright colors surrounding them.

It's of course used to refer to the circle of color in a person's eyes.

We have brown eyes were blue eyes. We don't see you your beautiful irises. It's never romantic to see your beautiful eyes right.

The Greeks had created in their pantheon. A goddess named Iris.

They believe that she was personified by the rainbow and served as a messenger of the gods. There is a kernel of truth in the habit of course entirely corrupted by idolatry.

We know from Scripture that only that the original rainbow is in fact a message from the true living God.

A message that is a lasted to this day a message in the rainbow every time we see it to this day. Given first and know it is a sign that God would never cover the earth with the universal flood ever again. Genesis 916. That first judgment will not occur like that. The second judgment tells us Peter does.

That is reserved for fire, know no fear of universal flood, but certainly fear of fire. What is angels head is surrounded then by this rainbow. This these amazing colors. The same word used here for rainbow. We saw earlier in chapter 4, to describe the rainbow encircling the throne of God which would reveal that this angel represents them the authority and the power. The throne of God and the message he will deliver is from God. Notice, thirdly, that his face shone like the sun, he was simply brilliant and bright like the angels repair the tomb of Christ to announce his resurrection Luke chapter 24 verse four it says they shone with dazzling brilliant fourth notice his feet and legs were like pillars of fire.

This is suggestive of his announcement having to do with judgment of God on earth. The fifth and most importantly verse two informs us that the angel has in his hand. Presumably his left hand a little book text says, which was open is holding his hand a book which was open.

This is the scroll that we we saw in chapters 5 and six that only Christ was worthy to open it would be correct to believe that this little book contains a small portion of the judgments yet to come. But the word used is biblical ready and biblical ready in which simply means a very small book a small booklet if you will that speaks of God's revelation to John by the way, the same Greek roots word gives us our word bully on from which we get our word Bible were holding our hands.

The book that we attach the word holy to this book. That is, it separated it, set apart it's distinct it's different from any other book on the planet because as Paul wrote to Timothy in second Timothy 315. He called it holy.

This is the holy Scriptures. Why, because unlike any other book, its author is God.

It it it attributes its origin to God himself affects and Timothy 316 says that it is that this is it is God's breath is God breathed. This is the breath of God, and as the author then this is a set apart book this bibliography what this angel is holding is is a small biblical ready and it's a different word. It's not the Bible. It's a small book that probably contains a portion of Revelation yet to come.

The final descriptive phrase concerning this amazing angel is the size verse two were told he placed his right hand or his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land so huge was the appearance of this angel to John that his feet span this incredible distance. 1 foot on the sea, and 1 foot on the land, though there isn't any reason to take this any other way than literal, or literally, which certainly allows for symbolism and we can easily recognize the symbolism of this posture that is the authority of this angel spans Landon see this is a universal message from the God of the universe. Notice first three and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars not only John is her lion roaring. So that's the picture they chooses just like a lion roars. This was the sound of this angel. I have never heard a lion roar of her lion per on an African reserve right was tightly ensconced inside a Jeep, but I could hear through the window so loud was that purring made me tremble right in here can imagine one roaring that's. He said this is what the sound was of the sea. He writes he cried with a loud voice which comes from the Lord's phone a mega lay we were versus two words we come over there onward megaphone Diana megaphone. This was so loud and the roaring was so unbelievably loud and reverberated as it were around the world. Verse three when he cried out seven peals of thunder uttered their voices and when the seven peals of thunder had spoken. I was about to write and I heard a voice from heaven saying seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them right now. This is where revelation really gets interesting toughness. We think about going to read the Bible through in one year and I got the stuff like this in. I went back to the gospel of John, let me pull back and give you an aerial view of what's happening here is an angel descending raptors that were in the cloud. He places one blazing foot on the land and one blazing foot on the sea. He then shouts loudly. This roaring sound and it reverberates around her. The plan and then John hears thundering seven would be significant sibling meaning it's the perfection or that the completion of thunder, often in the Bible, we hear of God's voice thundering we've already come up with this in the book of Revelation. David speaks of the glory of God. Thundering Psalm 23. Job rights of God's voice thundering in marvelous ways. Job 30 757 thunders means this is the perfection of God's own voice revealing truth of judgments yet to come. This would've been an awesome site and sound. See, this isn't just some loud booming. This is articulation of truth. It's saying something it's speaking something it's revealing something and so John is he's been doing is ready to start writing it down. Okay, I hear that I can understand what it's saying I'm a writer. All that this is what God is going to do yet in the future as he is preparing to write it down. Verse four. Look again just as I was about to write it down by God said keep it sealed now. Don't tell anybody. This so we don't have the full story doing keep some of this back ceiling keep it a secret which is one of the clearest texts I have found the reveals the truth of something we've often said, and certainly believe that the revelation of God is not exhaustive, but it is sufficient and always what we hold in this holy bib. Leon is in everything we do like to know but it's everything we need to know.

He said John you just keep this a secret. There secret things that belong to him alone.

He has chosen to withhold information and not reveal it to us.

Can you live with. Listen saying will. God knows and then I don't isn't necessarily a cop out. It may be a great statement of faith. You have to exercise it today or tomorrow next week.

I don't know what God knows I have been given the answer verse on that. But God knows and I will trust him. That is an incompetent don't use it that way either. Would you God knows no, don't let it cover for laziness or a lack of desire to study the word and begin to dig into it. Don't let it underscore your lack of interest in hard work like the college student or read about some time ago was taking his final exam at the end of the fall semester. He had studied and maybe you been there in your own life and you're praying for inspiration not recollection right and that he knew he was in trouble. Hee hee he did know the answers to any of the questions so he decided to play on the mercy of his professor and eroded the top of his exam. These words only God knows the answers to these questions return in his favor went home for Christmas break and during the break he received in his mail is exam. His professor had written in large letters at the top. In that case, God gets in a and you get an F Merry Christmas we don't avoid the challenges of life by shrugging our shoulders and say whatever God knows what we can say it is a matter of deep and and and growing trust as a matter of faith, perhaps where you are living right now without an answer without an explanation. There is some present dilemma in your personal experience that remains an unanswered dilemma saying God's.

It is the kind of believe that will prove your faith and deepen your trust in him like nothing else does. And I don't John keep this a secret. No one is going to know until I explained later on in life fully. Do villages need to know the should continue trusting what I've revealed that they do need a notice verse five John goes further describing what the angel does in the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever.

Can you imagine this angel in his hands. The revelation of God's right hand is raised toward heaven. 1 foot on the land. 1 foot on the sea, and his voice is heard around the planet swearing to tell the truth and is is based upon what notice carefully for six again, he swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it and the earth and the things in it and the sea and the things in it and other horses is based on a literal creation of the world and everything in it. NGOs of the angel is based upon the truthfulness of God creating the origins of every friendly book of Revelation is of the truth without a creator God. For we see here in chapter 10, a reference to a literal creation and we will see in chapter 21 a literal new creation and one demands the other.net doesn't the latter demand.

The former. In other words, of God was unable to create the first universe, or anything is going to create the next universe and how do you hope to get there. Is it that's somewhat slightly miraculous. If you dive for the rapture aren't you believing in a resurrection you're planning on a home that creative religion if he is unable to create using the meal or re-create any certainly be able to resurrect anything swallow what we believe. If you think about it hinges on the reality of our God, being the creator of all there is in everything that is in it.

Revelation 10. Six.

Notice the angel's announcement. This is the content of his message very short. But after making that oath he says in verse six. There will be.

Here's the truth, there will be delay no longer in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound in the mystery of God is finished as he preached to his servants the prophets. We looked at this earlier passing, but in other words, he saying here. There's gonna be no further delay as God accelerates his kingdom program.

The seventh angel is about the sound of there's nothing in the way of him sounding now. Something strange happens and I want to cover this chapter. So the cover this quickly. Something strange happens here with this angel. We've we've seen the Angels appearance. We've heard the angel's announcement and I went to the notice, the apostle personal application like a verse eight, the voice which I heard from heaven. I heard again speaking with me and saying to take the book which is open and Hannity angel stand on the seal of the land. So I went to the angel telling him to give me the little block and he said to me, take it and eat it. It will make your stomach better, but in your math will be sweet as honey. So I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it in my mouth. It was sweet as honey and when I had eaten my stomach was indeed made bitter. It's fascinating that John will now become a literal object lesson for us all, the word of God is sweet. Isn't it sweet as honey yet it's truth when it is understood we could speak metaphorically of it being digested, it can bring bitter tears and sorrow, and difficulty and conviction and guilt. The idea here was also performed by Ezekiel, who also ate a portion of God's revelation and then delivered the message to the people of God in Ezekiel recorded in Ezekiel 33 that the scroll was as sweet as honey. He literally becomes an object lesson. He literally eats this double iridium and it sweet to his mouth, but it comes bitter, sour translated heartburn. It produces discomfort becomes an object lesson of the truth of God, which is always sweet and good and yet the result of the word of God may bring great sorrow it sweet because it's God's word. It's bitter because it is God's judgment and you have found the same to be true. Have not the word of God is indeed sweet.

It is indeed good but yet sometimes the message it carries brings sorrow by faith, we accept both honey and bitter, both sweet and sour, both pleasant and painful aspects of what God's word demand to know the problem of the church today is all there many money to be one of the church is often represented by pastors who don't want to deliver the bitter news of God's truth so they resist words like sin and judgment and guilt and how your Larry King live and they refuse to say anything about a coming judgment about an eternal hell. Holy and wrathful God this coming day of wrath listen to that that temptation would always be there. Even for those who truly know that we would resist the bigger announcements of his sweet word the offensive nature of this wonderful gospel the truth about heaven. By the way, how so God addresses this temptation. Even with John in the very last verse of this chapter. They said to me, listen, John, you must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations, and tongues, and kings. They said to me this is a reference back to the thunderous voices of God, third person plural, which is in this text and indefinite reference. This is going back to the voices as it were of God. God is speaking to John he says look, I know you know the bitterness of it.

Don't hold back delivery. Preach it. You must continue delivering the truth. If you hold back. It will help anybody. It will help you. It certainly won't help your people. It won't help the church and it won't help the world. You must deliver the truth. It is bitter sweet gas but deliver all of it for us as believers, we obey all of it the easy parts. The hard parts. The stuff is easy to swallow stuff is hard to swallow. 1955 Billy Graham was preaching the truth of heaven and hell.

The gospel occurs literally around the world when he was only 35 years old. You imagine that his reputation was renowned and he was in London this this year, 55, he was holding an evangelistic crusade at Wembley Stadium. He received an invitation in number 10 Downing St., where the Prime Minister lived course and and so he accepted the invitation, and upon his arrival's biographer records.

The grant was introduced to a weary looking but keen eyed Sir Winston Churchill who was actually in his last year as Prime Minister chomping on his unlit cigar, Churchill looked Graham over with a penetrating eyes and then said that I call young man. I've heard a great deal about these crusade you're having up at Wembley now want to ask you question.

You know the trouble shape the world is in personally owning the world is much longer to go and he paused and said can you give an old man. Any hope we read further. It seemed Graham the church was seeking hope, not merely for troubled world for an aging and troubled man, so he took out the pocket New Testament he had with them always had with him and showed the Prime Minister that the Bible offers normally hope for the world and the ultimate triumph of Jesus Christ but hope for individual human beings in the plan of salvation. Churchill ever made a decision. Billy Graham never learned about nine years after that singular conversation. Winston Churchill passed away ladies and gentlemen, the only hope for anyone is in the bitter sweet word of God can ask you a question. What have you done with Jesus Christ. Maybe you're resisting him because you don't like the better part that may be resisting the gospel because you like that other stuff you presented. You presented call to humble yourself and admit you're a sinner I'm not here to convince you or talk you into anything.

Only God's spirit can wound to the father but I would pray that you would be like a woman who email me. She was so excited and she said after years of testimony before my friend.

I was able to pray with her to receive Christ as your Savior. I would pray that you would like the manner set in my office a few days ago and after hearing the gospel talking it over for some time. He bowed his head and prayed right there to make Christ his Lord and Savior. I would previewing because this bittersweet truth is true there is no other hope. Apart from Jesus Christ. So what have you done with him. What have you done with Jesus Christ. How if you responded to the message of salvation and the offer of eternal life that he's made to you settling that issue is the most important thing you could ever do, and I hope you'll do that today.

This is wisdom for the heart with pastor and author Stephen Davey Stephen is the senior pastor of colonial Baptist Church in Cary, North Carolina. If you'd like to understand more about the gospel we have a pamphlet entitled God's wisdom for your heart and we can give you information when you call us at 86 648 Bible, the number once again is 866-482-4253. We also have a website you can use to learn more about our ministry or access our resources. You'll find us online@wisdomonline.org if you'd like to correspond with us.

Our email address is info@wisdomonline.org. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and that she will be with us again Monday for more wisdom for the heart